Shi'kahr, Vulcan, 2288

The bonding of two children was an important event in the lives of the families involved and the celebration of the Koon-ut-la would go on late into the night. Helping herself to a plate of food from the buffet, and taking great care not to touch the food with her fingers, T'lia turned, looking for a quiet place to sit and eat only to encounter her new sa-kugalsu. She sighed, having hoped to avoid him, but obviously that was not going to be possible.

Like her, Soluk had a plate of food in his hand. "Would you like some gespar?" he asked, almost shyly.

There was an adequate amount of food on her plate and about to refuse, T'lia reconsidered. It would be only polite to accept and she did like gespar. "That would be

acceptable."

Leaning across the food laden table, Soluk picked up the serving spoon and placed a portion of gespar on her plate. "Come and sit with me," he invited impulsively.

She did not particularly want to talk with him, but it was either that or sit with the adults. Decision made, she nodded. A few moments later, both children were settled cross legged in Soluk's chosen spot. T'lia looked around her. It was not a bad location. From here, they could see everything that was going on, yet were out of the way of their parents.

About to take a bite of his food, Soluk stopped, putting down his fork. "How did you do that, anyway?" he asked.

"Do what?" His question had come out of the blue and T'lia was not completely sure what he was asking.

"Block the priestess," Soluk clarified, a faint hint of admiration in his tone. "Sa-mekh says she is one of Gol's most powerful telepaths, but you nearly stopped her from bonding us."

T'lia shrugged. "I just built a wall in my mind. Can't you do that?"

"Not like that," Soluk admitted. "I'm not a strong telepath like you." He shivered slightly, despite the heat. "I wish I could learn that. She felt…" He leaned closer to her and lowered his voice, not wanting any adults to overhear him criticising the priestess. "She felt cold and…"

"Creepy," T'lia finished for him.

Soluk nodded. "Yes, that's it… creepy."

Both children stared at each other, surprised to find themselves in agreement. "You didn't want this either, did you?" Soluk said suddenly.

T'lia shook her head, then dared to ask, "Why didn't you?"

The boy shrugged. "I'd rather be bonded to someone who likes me."

That shocked T'lia. "It's not that I don't like you," she protested. "I just wanted to have a choice and besides… sometimes you are horrible to the other children and I don't like that."

A look of shame crossed his face. "I know. I don't know why I do that. It's not logical."

"Maybe if you stop, then the other boys will follow," T'lia suggested. "You are one of the biggest in the class. I do not think they will dare to challenge you."

Soluk considered that and finally nodded. "You are right. That would be the logical course of action." He hesitated before adding, "You know, we don't have to marry when we are older."

T'lia was both interested and scandalised by that idea. "What do you mean?"

"They can't force us," Soluk pointed out. "Once we are adults, we will have more rights. Specifically, you will have the right to declare Kal-if-fee."

"But even if I won the challenge," T'lia reminded him, "that would leave you dead and me the property of the victor. I do not see how that is beneficial to either of us."

"I am aware," Soluk said. "You would need to choose your champion very carefully. There may however be other options open to us that we are not yet aware of."

"That is true," T'lia agreed. "We are only seven years old. We have time to find a solution."

Temporarily satisfied with that, both children turned their attention back to their plates of food. Talking while eating was not encouraged, even at a social occasion like this and it was only when both plates were empty that either of them spoke again.

"Do you remember in class when we were studying pre-reformation poetry?" T'lia asked eventually, "How it talked of Shon-ha-lock?"

He nodded. He hadn't been particularly interested in it at the time, but he remembered the poem clearly. He also remembered finding a book of love poems in his older brother's room and the one they had learned at school had definitely been heavily edited. "The Engulfment… Love at first sight. Do you think it exists?"

"I don't know," T'lia said dreamily, "but it sounds wonderful."

About to scoff, Soluk stopped. Actually, now that he thought about it, it did sound wonderful. He sighed. "Well, it has not happened for us. I do not think you are my k'diwa, the other half of my soul."

"Agreed," T'lia said fervently. "I think we should both keep looking. As you say, we have time."

Soluk was silent for a moment, wondering what the future held for them both. "We do have time," he agreed. But my sa-mekh said that a male must be bonded before… you know… or he will die. What happens if…" The thought was too horrible, and he could not finish.

"If we don't find our k'diwa's?" T'lia asked softly, for the first time understanding that for Soluk, this was life or death. "If that happens, then we will have to marry."

He brightened at that. "Promise?"

"I promise," she said. "But only if you promise to release me when we both have someone to love."

"You're not so bad for a girl," he said, grinning with relief, then quickly schooling his expression again and hoping no adults were looking. "You have a deal."

A shadow fell over them and both children looked up to see Soluk's father approaching. "A deal? What are you two children talking about?"

T'lia gave her sa-kugalsu a conspiratorial glance. "We were discussing our schoolwork, sir." They had very briefly spoken of historical literature, so she did not consider that to be a lie, even if it was not quite the truth.

"Indeed," Soluk said, quickly catching on. Neither child wanted their parents to know what they had been talking about. "We have an exam to prepare for when class begins again. We both wish to do well."

"It pleases me that you are both getting on so well," Soluk's father said. "Now come, Soluk, it is time we were leaving."

The boy scrambled to his feet. "I will see you in class, T'lia."

Acknowledging, T'lia watched him go, her expression thoughtful. It was possible, she conceded, that her mother had been right. Maybe being bonded to Soluk wasn't going to be as quite bad as she had feared.